Lug cleaner



Jan. 22, 1,929. 1,699,577

H. G, YETTER- we CLEANER Filed March 10, 192.8

E l ag 4.

Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRY GfYETTER, or BLANDINSVILLE, rumors.

LUG CLEANER.

Application filed March 10, 1928. Serial No. 260,864.

This invention relates to an attachment for cleaning between the lugs of tractor wheels and the like, one of the objects being to provide a device of this character which can be applied readily to a machine and which, after being set for use will trip automatically out of normal position if contacted by some unyielding obstruction lodged between the lugs, thereby avoiding injury.

Another object is to provide a scraper which will be supported out of contact with the wheels so that wear upon the parts is reduced to the minimum.

With theforegoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the inventionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred formof the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, 'Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheel having the scraper supported adjacent thereto in position for use.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the relative positions of the parts after the scraper has been tripped and brought to inactive position.

Figure 3 1s a front elevation of the attachment.

Figure 4 is a section on line 1'-4c, Figure 1. Figure 5 1s a section on line 55,F1gure 1.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates an attaching plate having a flange 2 in which a stem 8 is mounted for rotation; This stem is extended from a crosshead 1 arranged between and suitably connected to ears 5 projecting upwardly from v a frame 6. The lower portion of the frame is forked as shown at 7 and has a guide block 8 mounted therein on a transverse shaft -9 journalled in the sides of the fork and rotatable with the block. This block 8 has a passage 10 extending longitudinally therethrough and formed in the bottom of the passage is a longitudinal groove 11. A blade 12 is mounted to slide within the passage 10 and has a longitudinal rib 13 on its bottom face adapted to workwithin the groove 11. As shown particularly in Figure 3 the s des of the blade 12 are cut away at 14, providing a broad scraping portion 15 at one end of the 18 is attached at one end to the bottom of the block 8 and at its other end to the bottom portion of the blade 12 near the scraping edge thereof, this spring being extended under the block as shown particularly in Figure 1 and serving normally to pull the blade away from the wheel W with which it is designed to cooperate. Stop brackets 19 are provided at the sides of the fork 7 and are adapted to lap beveled shoulders 20 formed at the sides of the head 16 where they project beyond the cutaway portions 14; of the blade 12. Screws 21 are carried by these brackets for engaging the shoulders 20, thereby: to hold the blade 12 in active position as shown for example in Figure 1. At this timethe blade is held against the action of the spring 18 by a spring latch 22 fastened on the block 8 and having a depending head 23 which laps the outer end of the head 16 of the blade. This latch can be adjusted by providing a coiled spring 2 1 mounted thereon and on a threaded stem 25 extending loosely through the latch. A nut 26 engages the stem and can be turned so as to increase or reduce the compression of the spring 24 and correspond- Assuming that the parts are located as in Figure 1, it will be noted that, as wheel W rotates, the scraping edge of blade 12 will work between the parallel rows of lugs ingly increase or reduce the efliciency of the mounted on the periphery of the wheel, thus scraping out any accumulations of clay or the like between the lugs. It will be noted that, while the blade'is in its normal position, the scraping edge thereof is held away from the periphery of the wheel W, a minute adjustment for this purpose being permissible by the use of the screws 21. Should an unyielding obstruction, such as a large stone,

be carried against the edge of the scraper by V the rotating wheel, the pressure exerted then;-

by against the scraper will cause it to shift longitudinally against the head 23 which will yield under extreme force. This longitudinal movement of the blade will result in the withdrawal of the inclined or beveled shoulders 20 from contact with the screws 21. Consequently two actions take place automatically. As soon as the blade is pushed past the retaining head 23, the spring 18 will slide the blade longitudinally away from the wheel W and as soon as the shoulders 20 are withdrawn from contact with the screws 21, the spring 26 will rotate shaft 9 and cause the blade 12 to swing upwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that the scraping edge of the blade travels substantially in the direction in which the obstruction is moving during this collapsing operation so that there is no danger of any of the parts becoming jammed and broken.

It is intended to connect the attachment to a fender or any other rigid part ot a tractor in close proximity to the wheel W, a portion of the device to which the attachment is connected being indicated at F.

For the purpose of resetting the scraper it ismerely necessary to swing the blade forwardly and downwardly approximately to the angle illustrated in Figure 1 and then to shift the blade longitudinally toward the wheel until the free end ofthe head 16 passes the head 23. At this time the head will snap into engagement with the blade and, at the same time the shoulders 20 will be brought into position for engagement by the screws 21. Spring 18 will also be tensioned and increased tension will be added to the spring 26. With the parts thus reset the scraper can again be used until automatically released as heretofore explained.

It is to be understood that the jointed supporting structure made up of the flange 2, cross-head 4c and frame 6 provides a means whereby the scraper can be shifted to any desired position relative to the wheel W after which the several joints can be tightened to hold the supporting structure against movement away from the position in which it has been set.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with. a fork and a guide member pivotally mounted therein, of a scraping blade slidably mounted within and projecting from the guide member, yielding means for holding the blade normally retracted from active position within the guide member, means for engaging the blade for holding it projected to active position against the action of said yielding means, said holding meansbeing releasable when subjected to excessive pressure from the blade.

2. The combination with a guide member pivotally mounted, and means for connecting 8. The combination with a supporting structure, of a guide member pivotally mounted therein, a scraping blade sli'dably mounted within and projecting from said member, yieldable means engaging the blade for holding it normally projected, said means being adapted, when subjected to excessive pressure from the blade, to release the blade,

spring means for shifting the blade longitudinally when released, cooperatlng means on the supporting structure and blade for holding the blade against swinging movement, when the blade is in normal or projected position, and means. for automatically swinging the blade when moved, longitudi-V nally away from normal position.

4. The combination with a supporting structure, of a guide member pivotally mounted therein, a scraping blade -slidable within and projecting from the guide member, means for engaging the blade for holding it projected to active position, said blade,

when subjected to excessive longitudinal pressure, constituting means for shifting, the holding means to release the blade, a spring for shifting the blade longitudinally when released, an adjustable stop carried by the supporting structure, means on the blade cooperating with the stop for holding the blade against swinging movement while in; actlve v position, and means for automatically swinging the blade away from active position during the longitudinal movement thereof,

5. The combination with'a wheel having lugs and a structure adjacent the wheel, of a jointed supporting structure adjustably connected to the first namedstructure, guide member carried by the jointed supporting structure and mounted for pivotalmovement, a scraping blade slidably mounted within the guide member, a latch engagingtheblade for holding it normally projected toactive position in close proximity to the wheel,'adjustable stop means carried by the supporting: structure and cooperating with the blade for holding the blade against swinging movement in one direction, means for automatically swinging the blade in said. direction when disengaged from the stop, said blade, when thrust longitudinally b an unyielding obstruction carried by the w eel, constituting means for disengaging the holding means from the blade, and releasing the blade from the stop, and means for automatically shifting the blade longitudinally when released from its holding means.

6. The combination with a Wheel having lugs and a structure adjacent the wheel, of a guide member pivotally mounted, adjustable means for connecting said guide member to the said structure, a scraping blade slidably mounted within the guide member, a latch for holding the scraping blade normally projected to active position relative to the periphery of the wheel, an adjustable stop cooperating with the blade for holding it against swinging movement in one direction, said blade, when subjected to longitudinal 1 pressure by an unyeilding obstruction carried b the wheel constltutin means for shiftin y 7 2: b

the latch to release the blade, and a spring for automatically shifting the blade longi- 7. The combination with a wheel and a lug,

and a structure adjacent thereto, of a scraping blade connected to said structure and supported with its scraping blade normally close to but out of contact with the periphery of the wheel, and separate means released by the application of excessive pressure against the scraping edge of the blade for shifting the blade longitudinally away from the wheel and swinging said blade upwardly and backwardly relative to the wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

HARRY G. YETTER. 

